Monday, September 5, 2016

Battle of Chickamauga, GA #history #georgiapioneers

An
Account by Smith D. Atkins as presented by Smith D. Atkins at the Opera
House in Mendota, Illinois. February 22, 1907 at the invitation of
Woman's Relief Corps

The was one of the bloodiest battles of the Confederates. As one visits
the scene of the battle in Walker County and the presence of tombstones
and graves bedecked in the woods, the emotions of loss are prevalent to
the senses.
"
When the advance of the Army of the Cumberland began it was the desire
of General Rosecran, commanding the Army of the Cumberland, to confuse
and mislead Bragg, commanding the Confederate Army. Sending a portion of
his army, cavalry, infantry and artillery, across the Cumberland
mountains into the valley of the Tennessee north of Chattanooga to
threaten that city from the north, he led his main army across the
Tennessee at Bridgeport, Tennessee, and Caperton's Ferry, Alabama, and
crossing the mountains into Lookout Valley, swung his army to the south
and west of Chattanooga, rendering the occupation of that city untenable
by Bragg with his line of supplies threatened in his rear." Atkins
compared the maneuvers with the
brilliant and successful as the famous campaign of John Churchill (the
Duke of Marlborough) before the battle of Blenheim in 1704.

"I could plainly see the Confederate fort, and adjusting my field glass
hoped to see the effect of his shots; but I was enveloped in smoke when
he (Rosecran) fired, and could see nothing. But we learned the effect of
his scientific firing a few days afterward when we captured a copy of
the Daily Chattanooga Rebel, printed on wall paper, Henry Watterson, now
the distinguished editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal, publisher,
that said the Yankee artillery at Harrison's Landing at the first fire
dismounted the brass gun in the Confederate fort and killed four men."

"
On September 4th, 1863, my regiment was ordered to join Wilder, north of
Chattanooga. " It immediately ascended to the top of Walden's Ridge,
which was a continuation of Lookout Mountain on the north side of the
Tennessee River. " ... from that elevation I looked for hours with my
field glass into the deserted streets of Chattanooga and became
convinced that Bragg had evacuated that Confederate stronghold." The
regiment was then ordered to take the advance into Chattanooga. On the
morning of the 9th of September the Union troops crossed the nose of the
mountain on the Nashville road and found Confederate cavalry holding
the road. When Wilder's Brigade battery from Moccasin Point on the
north side of the Tennessee began throwing its shells onto the mountain,
enfilading the Union's line of skirmishers, they were compelled to fall
back.

"The battle of Chickamauga was a useless battle, the broken and
shattered Army of the Cumberland driven from the field and cooped up and
nearly starved to death in Chattanooga, that (General) Rosecrans was in
full possession of on September 9th, 1863."

"My orders from General Rosecrans were to enter the city of Chattanooga,
obtain all the information possible concerning the evacuation by Bragg,
and to return to him with my regiment. When I was ready to start back
the road was filled with Crittenden's corps of the Army of the
Cumberland, that followed me into Chattanooga, and when just ready to
return I was ordered by General Crittenden to go up the Tennessee River
to Fire Island, ten miles, and enable Wilder with his brigade to cross."
But the Confederate cavalry was ahead, until the regiment reached a
famous grape plantation eight miles north of Chattanooga where Wilder's
Brigade was already crossing the river. They spent the night at
Grayville, east of Chattanooga and during the night received orders to
join General Rosecrans at La Fayette.
" ...and moving before daylight on September 11th I struck the
Confederate pickets about two miles north of Ringgold. Sending word back
to Wilder I dismounted my regiment, when the enemy mounted and moved
out to charge my line, waiting until they were close upon me my
repeating Spencer rifles halted their charge and turned it back. Then
they formed in two lines to renew the charge when Wilder came up with a
section of 10-pound rifled cannon, and opened immediately. Instantly the
artillery fire was answered, but not a shot came near us; firing again
with our artillery, instantly came the response. We did not know it
then, but Crittenden's troops were approaching Ringgold from the west
and we from the north, and it was Crittenden's guns we heard, while
Forrest retreated through Ringgold gap. Had Crittenden's troops and
Wilder's Brigade been acting in concert, General Forrest and his cavalry
would have been captured at Ringgold. Sending out a company on the La
Fayette road, the enemy was found in strong force at the Chickamauga
River, and my regiment marched to Rossville, reaching there after dark.
Confident that Rosecrans was in Chattanooga, and not in La Fayette, I
sent officers to Chattanooga before daylight on the 12th of September,
but they did not return to me, and an hour after daylight I took the
road to La Fayette, striking the enemy in strong force at Gordon's Mill
on the Chickamauga. I was without corn for my animals, and finding a
corn field I fed my horses and filled the nose-bags with corn."
"

On the morning of September 19, 1863, the Army of the Cumberland began
its race for Chattanooga flanked by the army of General Bragg. The race
continued all day long. Aiken's regiment was ordered by General
Rosecran to take its position in a field southeast of Widow Glenn's
house. During that time they skirmished with the Confederate line and
captured a prisoner west of the LaFayette road. " The prisoner was
brought immediately to me. He was a Virginia boy, badly frightened at
first, but he soon told me that he belonged to Longstreet's corps from
the Virginia Army, and detailed to me how he came by cars, where they
disembarked, and how they marched to the battlefield.
I took the prisoner, the first one captured from Longstreet's corps, to
General Rosecrans at his then headquarters at Widow Glenn's house, and
told him that I had a prisoner from Longstreet's corps, when Rosecrans
flew into a passion, denounced the little boy as a liar, declared that
Longstreet's corps was not there. The little boy prisoner was so
frightened that he would not speak a word. In sorrow I turned away, and
joined my regiment. Rosecrans found out that Longstreet's corps was
there."

Afterwards Aiken's regiment was on the LaFayette road when compelled to
withdraw as the Confederates swarmed forcefully across his right flank.
They came upon thousands of Union troops in disorder running off through
the woods toward Chattanooga.

"Daylight came; with it white flags in our front where the
Confederates were burying their dead. An hour after daylight I
discovered a heavy column of the enemy, in column of companies doubled
on the center, slowly and silently creeping past my left flank toward
the left flank of McCook's corps. I repeatedly sent him information of
the approach of that heavy column of the enemy, but he testily declared
that there was no truth in it, and refused to send a skirmish line of
his own, that he might easily have done, and found out for himself. When
Longstreet's corps sprang with a yell upon the left flank of McCook's
corps, the line in my front advanced, and I retired to join Wilder as
ordered. McCook's corps was wiped off the field without any attempt at
real resistance, and floated off from the battlefield like flecks of
foam upon a river. His artillerymen cut the traces, and leaving the
guns, rode away toward Chattanooga. The rout of McCook's corps was
complete.
"

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After having researched multiple families from much has been learned about the pivotal roles which each o them played in building America. Everyone's ancestor whether in the history books or not, helped to build this country. I have probably traced over 100,000 names and am so familiar with the early colonists that I can just about open a discussion about any ancestor in the Southeast regions. If done properly, a tedious research will unfold the daily lives of each subject. I suppose that I am a fanatic now, however, an awareness of the experiences of your and my ancestors makes the history of America precious. I could sit down and talk (just about any) colonial ancestor with you. Hence, the desire to share my information with you. My researches are all heavily documented and I have discovered the intricate details which others cannot find. Jeannette Holland Austin www.georgiapioneers.com